🚀 go-pugleaf

Recently I was having trouble understanding why we need to
cut down our Ancient Forests.  

Congressman Frank Riggs came to my rescue and wrote 
me this letter.  Now I understand *much* better.

(The following text is a word for word transcription of
a letter on Congressional letterhead, dated March 5, 1996
from Rep. Frank Riggs (R - Windsor, CA))
*************************************************************

March 5, 1996

Dear Mr. Wagner,

Thank you for contacting me in support of repealing 
the timber salvage law.  I appreciate learning of your views.

Last July President Clinton signed a landmark forest 
health law calling for the expeditious removal or "salvage" 
of dead, dying, and diseased trees from our national forests.  
The timber salvage provision was enacted after catastrophic 
fires consumed huge areas of forests in the Northwest.  
The buildup of dead and dying trees has reached extremely 
unsafe levels and the timber salvage provision allows for 
a reduction in this fuel load.

A century of aggressive fire prevention coupled with a 
drastic decrease in timber harvesting has made our forests 
unusually dense.  A combination of severe droughts in seven 
of the last nine years, disease and insects have turned our 
forests into tinder boxes.  In 1994 wildfires consumed over 
545,000 acres of California forest land and 4 million acres 
nationwide.  These fires destroyed old growth trees, wildlife 
habitat, parks and campgrounds.  In addition, fire fighting 
cost a staggering $1 billion taxpayer dollars and the lives 
of 33 brave fire fighters.  Salvage logging will improve the 
physical health of the Nation�s forests.

The salvage law gives the Forest Service and the Bureau of 
Land Management (BLM) the flexibility to address this emergency 
situation within the parameters of existing environmental laws, 
including the Endangered Species Act.  The law reduces regulatory 
red tape and protracted lawsuits.

The timber salvage law was composed in an open public process 
in consultation with and the approval of President Clinton.  
It is absolutely necessary to protect our forests from destruction 
by fire and preserve them for all Americans to use and enjoy both 
now and in the future.

Once again, thank you for contacting me.  Please feel free to 
do so again on this or any other issue of importance to you.

Very truly yours,

Frank D. Riggs
Your Representative in Congress

*****************************************************************

So, what do you think...
Should I beleive him?

(I would start the flaming right here and now, but my mother
taught me that a good host always lets their guests have first
pick at the hors d'oeurves.)
 
-- 
Keith G. Wagner             ----------------------------

mailto:keithw@tidepool.com    "Visualize Whirled Peas"
mailto:kgw@axe.humboldt.edu           
                            ----------------------------
         
           http://www.tidepool.com/environment/